Sometimes we get sloppy and forget that everything we do and say around our work affects how others perceive it.

You teach people how to treat you and your art. Make sure you’re sending the right signals.

Here are 16 things to consider.

Making and Preparing Art

1. Use the highest quality materials you can afford. It would be humiliating for your art to start falling apart after it’s purchased.

2. Select frames that complement your work and are well made.

3. See that your mats are cut meticulously. Nothing ruins a good image like a sloppily cut mat.

4. Ensure that all 2-D art rests flat against the wall. It shouldn’t bow, droop, or buckle.

5. Sign your art. It doesn’t matter how you sign it or where, but sign it. Signing art says, “This is complete, and I made it.”

Sarah Snavely demonstrates how she packs her sculpture – securely and professionally. Image used with permission.

Handling Art

6. Don’t schlep your art around in supermarket bags. Use portfolios and beautiful boxes.

7. Use the right amount of packing material to ensure that the work will arrive safely.

8. Insure your work and studio appropriately. Home insurance rarely covers business mishaps.

I was enchanted with this exhibition at the Philadelphia airport. Works by Maria T. Jacobs are handsomely displayed and clearly show the artist credit.

Exhibiting Art

9. Let people see the art! Your work should be well lit wherever it is on exhibit. Look out for hot spots, glare, and shadows.

10. Create uniform wall labels that are carefully cut and stay snugly on the wall. Wonky labels that appear to be an afterthought can ruin an otherwise solid installation.

11. Use museum-quality hanging and installation devices.

Documenting Art

12. Document all of your art with high-quality photographs. They should be as good or better than the art because they represent the work and if you do your marketing right, you will sell art from JPEGs.

13. Keep your inventory database up to date, noting details such as size, specific materials, and exhibition record of each piece.

14. Maintain a price list. It’s unprofessional to make up prices on the fly.

Interpreting Art

15. Talk about your work with respect. Develop the language to speak intelligently and confidently about it.

16. Don’t ever apologize for your art or leave anyone to believe that you are less than an artist.

What else would you add to this list? Leave a comment and share your experience.

After years of encouraging artists to join artist organizations, I’m going to commit blasphemy with this post, which is somewhat of a follow-up to my post on poisonous relationships.

I love groups that function smoothly, but many people start an artist organization without much of a vision. They want to have control without thinking about what is best for members and without first trying to improve existing organizations.

There are a lot of “organizations” around that are disorganized and, therefore, dysfunctional.

As a guest speaker, I have witnessed organizations that are well run and those that are poorly run.

The best organizations – those that do the most good for their members – have paid staff that run daily operations. I’m thinking of organizations like the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition and the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists.

I’m begging you to burn your membership card in organizations where:

1. You are always the leader and are not learning or growing.
2. Other members aren’t pulling their weight.
3. Other members don’t understand the value of professionalism.
4. Other members are negative, whiny, or excuse-makers.
5. Members aren’t supporting one another.
6. Meetings seem like a waste of time.
7. The organization doesn’t fulfill its obligations to members.
8. The organization is disconnected from the larger community – locally or nationally.
9. The organization doesn’t follow its own guidelines.
10. The organization can’t function without you.

Do a gut check. If you feel deflated, frustrated, or icky when you leave your group meeting, burn your card.

Your primary responsibility is to yourself. If that sounds selfish, good! Because you can’t take care of others until you take care of yourself.

If you aren’t healthy physically, emotionally, and financially, you won’t be at your best for helping others.

Go ahead. Burn the card. Say, “Alyson made me do it.”

26 reasons why no one likes your art via @MoonApe ow.ly/kisUs

Painter travels to the wild for true adventure/subjects. Looks like a great film! ow.ly/kpQeO via @robertgenn

HBR.org: To Get Consumers to Spend More, Try Turning Up the Lights web.hbr.org/ds/042513

As often as possible, give. As often as possible, give without wondering “what’s in it for me.” hbway.com/nlnow @chrisbrogan

Neil Gaiman addresses art school grads in awesome 2012 speech ow.ly/kOhkR

Create rather than consume. Brilliant mindset shift fr @chrisguillebeau chrisguillebeau.com/3×5/changing-t…

Art Startup Gertrude Bets on Plugging Collectors Into Pop-Up Salons zite.to/13j6B7e

The Art Market

5 reasons you shouldn’t invest in art ow.ly/kyjPJ via @EconomicTimes (India)

Prospects of art as investment via @nytimesarts ow.ly/kyk8R

Debating the art market as the best judge of quality zite.to/107JXl5 via @latimes things to think about

Taos gallerists talk about downturn in biz ow.ly/kyg69

Some interesting points about today’s super-rich art collectors…. fb.me/2odbxxAXO

Art being used for money laundering. Fascinating! @nytimesarts ow.ly/l00jG

Helly Nahmad Gallery Owner Indicted in Gambling Case – NYTimes.com zite.to/16ErGzy art is becoming a dirty business

Social

Google Launches Dramatic Redesign of Google+, Emphasizing Context and Content Discovery zite.to/1125KWM via @Zite

MT @rebeccacoleman: Add the Instagram app to your FB page ht.ly/kz6gy

Facebook Cheat Sheet: Image Size and Dimensions zite.to/ZyuRoi < awesome resource

Do This

Make a wish! Participate in this artist’s installation. Super quick form. ow.ly/l4d0n

Share pics of art packed, packaged or stored. ow.ly/l6DeA See what other artists are doing

Artist As Example

I love getting @tina_m newsletters. You should subscribe if you love art or want a better nwsltr ymlp.com/xgeseysugmgj

Another awesome newsletter fr @lisacall <good model for #artists ow.ly/l3mCh

It Really Happened

Artist born w/o arms unable to get permission to enter UK because he could not give fingerprints bbc.in/10k1W3X @BBCBreaking WTH?

RT @chrisguillebeau: Me: “I’d like to give you $500 to make some art.” Local artist: “Sorry, I don’t have the right energy level.” <Ruh roh

Quote Me

Marketing isn’t expensive these days, but you have to be willing to give your time

Subject lines are for getting ppl to open your email. Are they doing that job?

Remember that your #1 priority as an artist is to make art. Marketing is important, but it can’t supersede your studio time.

Consider buying a separate URL for a big #art project. You’d hate for someone else to own the name of your project online.

If someone sees your art in a gallery and tries to buy fr you instead, send them back to the gallery. Every time.

I love seeing a full free day on my calendar. I’ve scheduled my biz so I can have that. You?

Something To Think About

Creatives must say NO. Awesome article medium.com/thoughts-on-cr…

For Fun

How to be happier every day via @TheDailyStat ow.ly/khu9K

If you really want to be an artist, you search yourself, and you find a lot of it comes from earlier times – Claes Oldenburg via @nytimes

Van Gogh’s True Palette Revealed nyti.ms/ZX6T2s

12-yo girl wise beyond her years. This short video should inspire everyone ow.ly/kQGIW

Ordering new outdoor banners fr soundwinds.us Love their banners!

@jaybaer FIRST concert? This dates me significantly, but probably The Osmond Brothers!! First car date to concert: Styx (under the heading TMI)

@jaybaer I also saw Andy Gibb and Shaun Cassidy in concert. I was VERY young of course.   (more TMI)

For Impact

Every time you teach people how to look at your art, you empower them.

Post images on YOUR site first, then link/pin/share on social media

Guest Blogger: Beth Hayden

More and more artists are jumping into the world of Pinterest every day. If you’re one of them, and if you’re like the new pinners I know, you’ll inevitably start wondering, “How do I get more Pinterest followers?”

Building a Pinterest following takes time, so you’ll need patience. These five suggestions should get you started.

1. Pin regularly from unique sources.

If you pin a couple of meaningful things a day, you will get more followers. As your content gets repinned and liked by other users, some of them will notice your profile and follow you.

Artist Dorothy Lorenze on Pinterest.

If your art business has target audience (women, gardeners, brides, golfers) then you should be pinning some content that appeals to that target demographic. Consider your customer when you’re pinning, and pin content that customer would enjoy.

Think entertaining, educational and interesting content.

While NOT all of your content has to appeal to your target audience (some of your pins will just be fun or beautiful stuff that you enjoy), it will help you attract more customers and get more followers if you pin stuff that attracts your target clientele.

Make sure you’ve downloaded the Pinterest bookmarklet for your browser, which allows you to pin from any Web page.

Did you know that 85% of the pins on Pinterest are repinned from within another pinboard? This is where you can outshine other Pinterest users who don’t know better. You will grow your following faster by introducing content from additional websites and blogs instead of just recycling other people’s pins.

A fan comments on one of Mindy Lighthipe’s pinned botanical paintings.

2. Comment on pins.

The fact that there are very few comments in the Pinterest world means that comments stand out, which is exactly what you want.

When you post thoughtful comments on a pin, they continually travel around Pinterest with that pin. That can lead to clicks on your profile. If your comments are valuable and your pinboards are intriguing, lots of people will decide to follow you.

Target people who share your audience and comment on their pins. Add compelling discussion points or conversation starters instead of just saying, “Nice image!” or “I love this!”

3. Join collaborative boards.

If you’ve been on Pinterest for a while, you may be starting to get invitations to join collaborative boards. That means someone has started a group board that multiple people are pinning to, and they’d like you to join in on the fun.

Here’s the secret few people know: collaborative boards are an amazing way to build your following. Every time you pin to a collaborative board, that pin goes out to every follower of every Pinterest user who co-pins on that board, which puts you in front of a potentially HUGE audience!

So if you get invited to pin on a group board, and the topic of the board is interesting to you, say Yes!

If you’re not getting invitations yet, start your own collaborative board, and invite your favorite pinners to join you in pinning to it. Be creative and fun with your board topics, so more people will decide to join you in pinning to it.

You can turn any of your current boards into a collaborative board. From your profile, just click on the “Edit” button under any of your boards, then add names to the “Who Can Pin?” field in the pop-up box that appears.

4. Follow other pinners.

Try to follow 5-10 people or more every week. A substantial portion of those folks will follow you back.

Follow your target customers, other artists, art magazines, potential collectors, curators, and galleries. Following lots of people makes Pinterest more enjoyable anyway.

5. Regularly tell your blog readers and email subscribers that you’re on Pinterest.

If you write a blog (and I really hope you do), remind your readers that you’re on Pinterest from time to time and give examples of what you pin.

If you publish an email newsletter, make sure to let your subscribers know that you’re on Pinterest, too. You may want to add an “I’m on Pinterest!” button to the bottom of each of your newsletters.

Key Takeaway

The key to developing a significant Pinterest presence is taking small, consistent steps. Even putting in ten minutes a day will yield BIG results.

Don’t forget that I said you need patience. A larger following will evolve but, like all good things that are worthwhile, it’s a process.

Use these techniques and watch your following grow!

Guest blogger Beth Hayden is a social media expert and author of Pinfluence: The Complete Guide to Marketing Your Business with Pinterest.

She will be sharing much more about using Pinterest to expand your art business in a special Art Biz Coach teleseminar on Tuesday, May 18.

Click here to read about it and sign up.

The second principle of no-excuse self-promotion, according to I’d Rather Be in the Studio is:

Connections are critical to your success. To succeed, you must make an effort to meet new people and to maintain relationships.

But not all connections are equal. Some connections can be detrimental to your art, your emotional well-being, and your growth.

When you are successful, not everyone will be happy for you. This can be scary.

Some people prefer that you stay the same. Other artists might become jealous.

They are uncomfortable witnessing your increased recognition and income. They might even be threatened that you are playing a bigger game – especially if it means that you are finding new friends.

You aren’t conforming to their tiny idea of what an artist’s life should be like.

Beware of these poisonous relationships and don’t allow your success to be defined by the limitations others put on you.

Think about the people you spend the most time with. When you leave their presence, do you feel good about yourself and your future? If not, you have an obligation to do something about it.

You must do what you can to protect your self-worth, your momentum, your energy, and your vision.

If you belong to an artist organization where members complain about marketing, get out!

You do not want to be the only person in the room dragging everyone along. This is draining. You will either burn out or, worse, succumb to their way of thinking.

If your artist friends are blaming their lack of success on the economy, get new artist friends!

The chances are good that they will never accept responsibility for their actions and, therefore, never expand.

If family members try to hold you back with their pessimistic outlook, set boundaries!

Tell them which topics are off limits and that you will only discuss your art career if they can be encouraging.

You may still love these people, but you don’t have to spend the majority of your time with them.

Fill your calendar with positive, supportive people who seek to improve their lives while making the world a better place to live. Before you know it, you won’t have any time remaining for the naysayers.

Hang out with the advancing people in my Silver membership program. Sign up for your complimentary month here.

Online connections have their place in marketing your art, but most in-person experiences can’t be duplicated in the same way on a computer.

I’ll go one step further: certain in-person opportunities would never arise if you relied only on the Internet.

Last week I was reminded of this during a 3-day Florida workshop in which I participated.

At dinner in Orlando with artists Rae Marie, Angeline-Marie Martinez, Shari Sherman, me, Denisse Berlingeri, Robin Pedrero, and Victoria Page Miller. I never would have met them if I hadn’t attended the workshop earlier in the week. Thanks to Angeline-Marie for the pic.

Face-to-Face Experiences

Here’s what I got in person that I couldn’t get online.

Warmth. The positive energy is palpable when you are in a room full of people seeking the same thing you are.

Looking into people’s eyes, you will see that they care about you and want to help.

Hugs. Forget the handshakes, I’m a hugger. Just try giving a hug through the computer (or is Facebook selling hugs these days, too?).

Movement. Sure, we sat a lot at the workshop, but we also danced – at a dance party and when the deejay got us moving.

When we’re home alone on our computers or in the studio, we often forget about how good it feels to get up and move around. And it doesn’t just feel good, it’s good for our psyche and creativity.

Vibrant discussions. You talk about things one-on-one that would never come up in an email or a Facebook comment.

It’s stimulating to discuss business strategies at the table over lunch, on a break with a cup of coffee, or after a meeting with a glass of wine.

Over the course of the three days of the workshop, I had meals with:

• An instructional designer to talk about my online curriculum.
• Someone who also serves creative businesses.
• A midlife reinventionist.
• A landscape architect and chiropractor.
• A woman who serves young people seeking their paths.

I would never have come across these people sitting behind my computer in my office.

I came home with business cards from an M.D. who is literally saving lives around the world, a dentist coach, a copywriter, a voice coach, a very successful branding strategist, a dealer in Scottish Terrier collectibles (who knew?!) and much more.

And I gave away many of my business cards to people who said, “I know an artist who needs you.” I told them to be gentle with their artists.

You should have been there, too. Know why?

All of these people have the potential to buy your art! Every new person knows about 150 other people and will enrich your life. Chances are good that you wouldn’t come across them online.

So don’t stick to art and artist events. Branch out! Get out!

Tell us about your experiences with attending live events.

Save The Date

I’m offering you the chance to get out and meet more people, while staying focused on expanding your art business.

Come to Golden, Colorado (Denver metro area) on October 11-12, 2013. I’ll be sharing more about this event soon, so be sure to look for it.

For now, make the commitment to be here in the fall.

“They” say that stories help sell anything.

Deep Thought

What’s your most compelling story?

What is it about you, your art, or your life that most engages people?

What, if you pitched it to a magazine, would the editor want to publish?

Try it out in us. Just leave a comment.

Whether or not you are getting a diploma this month, you can still participate in the springtime graduation ritual.

Take stock of the things you’re doing that are holding you at the same place and make a plan to graduate away from them and toward something better.

Consider these four ways to graduate your career to a higher level.

1. Graduate to getting paid what you’re worth.

It doesn’t serve anyone when you undercharge for your art. Doing so gives collectors a false idea about the value of art, while making other artists white-hot angry because they need to make a living from the sales of their work.

Undercharging also makes you bitter because you know you’re not getting paid what the work is worth.

2. Graduate to accepting 100% responsibility for your success.

You are the CEO of your art business. This means you’re in charge – of everything.

You take the blame for inaction and failure, but you also reap the rewards of success.

Recognize that every day counts. Postponing your marketing or studio time means postponing your career, your income, and your happiness.

3. Graduate to better venues for your art.

If you are repeatedly showing in the same safe venues and exhibitions, you are stuck.

If you have been showing in the same coffee shop year after year, look into a reputable co-op.

If you keep entering the same media-specific shows, start mingling with non-watercolorists, -quilters, or -photographers.

You want to radiate progress. Make it a goal to show potential collectors, curators, and gallerists that you are constantly advancing.

4. Graduate to getting help when you need it.

The thought that you can do everything yourself is sooooo yesterday.

No one has ever built a profitable, sustainable business on his or her own. There is a point when every owner of a moneymaking business must seek help.

You were put on this earth to make art and share it. When you spend your time trying to be graphic designer, bookkeeper, housekeeper, or lawn mower, you are separated from your life purpose.

Hiring help will sting your pocketbook at first, but you will see a better bottom line when you’re not trying to do it all on your own.

Are you ready to graduate?

When you are struggling with a decision, remember this . . .

You have everything you need to make the right decisions for your art business.

You have read the books, listened to the recordings, and taken the classes.

You have paid attention.

You have been doing the work.

You’ve asked good questions.

You’ve sought outside expertise.

You know what’s right from what’s wrong.

You feel it when something doesn’t sound right.

You know what is best for you.

Trust.

Then, take action.

In I’d Rather Be in the Studio I lay out guidelines for your artist statement, where I say that my litmus test for an effective artist statement is that it compels people to look at your art.

Think about it: What good is your statement if people only read it and then move on to the next label, the next statement, the next page, or the next artist?

Gallery-goers reading about the artist, but did they look at the work after they finished reading the wall label?

You want more eyeballs on the art!

If you’re not using your statement as a way to engage viewers with the art, you’re missing an opportunity.

Most people do not have a visual education. They are not taught how to look at and appreciate art. Your statement can do this job without being too elementary or condescending.

Every time you teach people how to look at your art, you empower them. You give them confidence to spend more time with the work and to go to a deeper level.

Artist Statement Examples

These are excerpts from artist statements that can be found on their sites. See how they direct you back to the work.

I incorporate the art of blacksmithing in my pieces to give them eye appealing embellishments: the handmade scrolls on the bodice of a dress, the butterflies on a hat, or the crossed fingers of hand behind a woman’s back. – Victoria Ross Patti

• Look for scrolls, butterflies, and other details.

Every painting starts with a grid. The vertical and horizontal lines calm my active brain and provide a structure on which to work. – Dora Ficher

• Look for the structure of the grid.

I fabricate with steel from old tin cans, toys and signs and also use them as a source for color, images, and text.  These utilitarian objects have their own histories that speak to the passage of time seen through fading paint, scratches and rust. – Marlene True

• Look for recognizable tin and worn surfaces.

Do you have a similar example from your statement? I invite you to leave an excerpt and a link to the entire statement in a comment here.